Death Looks Good on You
by disaster0
Summary: AU- I didn't think I could die, not really. But, in this moment, I wondered if this was it...The afterlife finally caught up with me. No Pairings! R&R!


My skin _burned._ My whole body ached and sizzled, was I being punished? I could hear ringing, sharp and painful, and my skin felt wet. Damp and red hot.

I couldn't remember doing anything that would justify such punishment, was this Hell? I've been warned of such a place, from my father, from the elders. If this is that place-Hell—then what have I done wrong?

I didn't think I could die, not really. But, in this moment, I wondered if this was it—this was what happens to bad kids, too bad souls. Oh God, I thought, he was right, his father was _right_. The afterlife finally caught up with me.

The portal was designed to take on the highest amounts of energy, nearly enough to power a small city. They hadn't expected such charge to come bursting through the small hole is the wall, but there they were, the Fenton's, evacuating their house.

This had been a bad idea, Maddie realized, her features pinched tight. "We were too confident, Jack," she called over to her husband, the loud sound of sirens dampening her words. Jack looked over at her and shrugged.

"It was a good idea Mads." She shook her head. Jack pulled a smiled "You know it. We just have a few bugs to workout though."

Maddie envied his ever-present optimism. Firefighters blocked off their section of the street as the wait for the CDC began. She and Jack stood back while perfectional worked on containing the radioactive experiment deep in their home. This was never supposed to happen, she knew the risks, they both did, yet somehow data was misread or misplaced. She pulled Jack out the door as soon as she heard the small explosion from downstairs. Convinced that her kids were out with their friends and in no harm, she pulled her husband through the door, not even once looking back.

"Things are looking good over her Mrs. Fenton," a middle-aged man said, moving up to the pair. His attire reeked of authority and Maddie heaved a sigh. "My men and I over her will like to take you guys up to get checked out for radiation poisoning and then we can talk about this…incident."

Maddie nodded and focused her gaze on their house, plastic sheets covered the entrance and small puffs of smoke filtered out the lower windows. Disappointment settled in her gut and she dropped her shoulders. They knew they couldn't afford to mess up this time, yet here they were. The state would surely have their backsides now. She grabbed Jack and together the two made their way over the waiting ambulance with the officer.

"Wait!"

A rather young woman run up to the three, dark curls caught on the ridged collar of her containment suit. Hands on her knees she asked, "Was there anyone else in the building with you guys?"

Maddie and Jack shared a look. "No, no the kids were out for the evening. Right, Mads?"

Maddie's stomach dropped.

"Right Mads?"

No. She couldn't have, they wouldn't have—surly they must be mistaken?

The young woman nervously pointed behind her were two other men were gathered. "Uh, they pulled two kids from the basement, uh, both are pretty shaken."

Maddie followed her finger and paled at the sight of her son's two friends, huddled on the curb grasping at a foil blanket. The world tuned out around her and she pushed herself past the two teenagers and through the plastic barrier. The house smelt of sulfur and smoke, but she pushed past the stinging tears in her eyes until she reached the basement.

"Ma'am-!" She pushed past an officer of the step and flew down them two at a time. The portal was charred and leaking green streams of smoke, the stinging in her eyes intensified and she held back a cough.

She knew that those kids never left each other's sides, she _knew_ he was—

Oh god, she choked and flew towards the portal. She was risking too much to be down here, the risk of the building blowing up around her a great possibility. The portal was off and electricity ran down it's wires to the floor. Where was he?

She pushed tables out of the way and kicked boxes and she made her way around the lab. There-!

She climbed over a small table strewn on the floor and reached for the huddled form under one of the tables. His head was between his knees and smoke rose from his clothes.

"Danny!" He flinched but otherwise stayed where he sat. Maddie grunted as she tried to maneuver herself through the mess but the table was blocked by a large storage containment. She couldn't reach him. She peered at his from over the cabinet and called his name again. Eventually he lifted his head and Maddie lost all her breath. Blood was flowing from his nose and ears but his eyes are what haunted Maddie most. They were bright with tears and filled with fear, piercing into her own. His skin was raw burned and from what she could tell, she needed to get him out immediately.

"Danny," she tried again. "Sweetie come here, I can't reach you."

Danny shook his head and dropped his face to his knees once again.

Biting back a frustrated sound she moved around the other side of the lab. She frantically pulled machines and stepped over broken beakers until she could crawl under the table. Small fire had stated around the spilled chemicals, and the heat licked at her arms. Her hands were scraped and bleeding but none of that mattered. She pulled Danny by his shirt and he gave a short cry.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she whispered as she hauled him out from the wreckage. Son in her arms she struggled along the remains of the lab. Cries from the stairs finally reached her ears and she trudged on, precious cargo in her arms. Her lungs ached from what she guessed was whatever fumes she had created.

Officials were waiting at the top of the stairs and tried to relieve her of Danny but she soundlessly pushed her way past and outside. Jack jogged after her as she headed for the ambulance. Everything moved too quickly around Maddie's head so she just watched as they took her son from her hands and her husband moved her into his arms.

"…Jazz wasn't home, was she?" Jack asked into her ear after he had stopped shaking. No, she knew for a fact that Jasmine was on a road trip with her friends. She shook her head and waited for the OK to ride with her son to the hospital.

She knew that stakes were high, but she never imagined it being the price of her family.

His father had always been a bright man. He was always right, whether he liked it or not and he should have _listened._ Maybe if he listened to the man he would be in so much pain now. He wanted to go _home_ , he didn't like this hell place. He was too hot.

He rolled his eyes under sandy lids, his throat was dry and he felt heavy. He back hurt, everything hurt. Where was his father? He didn't want this.

Danny heaved a deep sigh and tried to cool down his burning insides. He tried staying still but he felt that his bones may fuse together. Damp hands were twisted into stiff sheets, all his muscles tense. He could sense another presence in the room and that made him uneasy. He hoped they would help him, instead, they stayed silent, letting him suffer by himself. He felt lonely.

"Hey, hey Danny." The whisper sent shivers up his spine. "Danny, it's alright, just let me…" As the voice trailed off he felt ice run through his veins. His pains lessened and he relaxed his hands. "There."

He matched the warm set of hands on his arm with the voice and screwed his face in confusion. Who was this? Where was he? Danny was tempted to open his eyes but feared that he would be greeted with flames and a throne and maybe _the devil himself._ He took a deep breath, he was working himself up for nothing, he was sure. Hesitantly he blinked his eyes open and hissed as fluorescent lights burned his eyes.

He rolled his eyes over to the side and met eyes deeper than his own. The face was hesitant but warm. Danny watched the man smile, eyes crinkling around the edges. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Danny-boy." The man looked genuinely happy to see him awake, so Danny gave a small smile. Now, hopelessly confused, Danny allowed everything to happen around him slowly. He watched silently as more people welcomed him and gave checked on him throughout the day. He assumed he was in some sort of medical ward and so he was hopeful that someone would fill him in on what was happening. The woman sitting on his bed looked tired. Her glassed over eyes followed his every movement, her hand never leaving his. It scared him how warm she was and how much he didn't mind.

"Sam and Tucker are alright, just a bit shaken. The house is a little banged up but we'll get by." She smiled. He must have zoned her out and he found himself feeling guilty. "I know you're tired Hun, but Jazz wanted to see you before dark. You worried us all kiddo but don't worry, you'll be out of here soon." She sighed and ran a hand through her short hair.

It was getting dark. Back home, the sky never changed. It was mesmerizing to watch the sky change shades every hour. He knew for sure that he was somewhere foreign. Surely someone would notice he's been missing by now.

"What do you say to that? Would you mind having some visitors?" Danny fiddled with his bandaged hands.

"Um," he murmured. Was now the time to ask? He could trust her he knew, and maybe, just maybe, she knew how to bring him home. "Y-yeah sure. But, when do I get to go home?"

Maddie just smiled. "Soon, they say a few days just to make sure you're doing OK."

He nodded. A few more of their weird days and then he could see his own family. Not these…strangers.

If he was honest, he didn't' want any visitors. It was enough putting up with these people and their medical assemble. He was tired. He wanted to go home.

He nodded again and pushed back into the pillows, eyes shut. "I just want to go _home."_

And from behind his closed eyes he could imagine his father now, searching high and low in the cold green abyss of their home. He was lonely but most of all he was scared. Because, ghost weren't supposed to feel this warm.

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 ** _B_** _ear with me now, this is getting somewhere. Reviews are appreciated and you can call me out of my love for italics. Can't promise fast updates, I'm kinda playing with this AU idea, so if you like it, show me!_


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